Hmm, I was scared to take my 6 year old daughter and my girlfriends 8 year old after reading all of these reviews, but I'm glad I did. I attended a sold out IMAX viewing that was full of kids from 2+. No one walked out and there were no crying kids etc. There was actually a round of appluase at the credits. As for my girl(s) they absolutely loved it and were still talking about it excitedly as I was trying to tuck them into bed. I don't know how all these reviews are so heavy handed but our experience was definitely different lol.
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Disney's A Christmas Carol
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 5, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
3-D adaptation of classic holiday tale may scare young kids.
Themes in this movie include: honesty, loss
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 8 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
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What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Disney's A Christmas Carol
Parents need to know that, unlike The Polar Express, this Robert Zemeckis adaptation of a classic holiday tale is too intense both visually and in content for families with very young children. At its heart, Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is a ghost story, and not only are the many spirits very creepy at times, but the 3-D technology makes certain scenes -- as when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come's red-eyed black stallions jump out at the audience -- all the scarier. And the realistic nature of the motion capture technology often makes the movie seem more like live action (and thus more intense) than animation. But on the other hand, the language is mild (British slang like "bugger" and "blast") and the drinking limited to Christmas toasts. And the messages are all quite positive, as Ebenezer Scrooge's (Jim Carrey) transformation is one of literature's ultimate stories of redemption and hope, even in the bleakest of times.
Read our full review by Sandie Angulo Chen
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about the lessons that Scrooge learns. How does he change throughout the movie? What is the story trying to teach us about not just Christmas, but about human behavior in general?
- How are the themes of A Christmas Carol still relevant more than 200 years after it was originally written? Kids: How can you act generously during the holidays and year round?
- Do you think the 3-D technology enhances the movie, or would it have been as good/better without it?
Our Members Say
See all 53 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
My 6 and 8 year old girls loved it.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Not for those with young kids who scare easily.
Definetely for kids over 7yrs old...unless he/she is not scared easily. Took my six year-old, and she was fine with everything except the (*spoiler alert*) really really loud and scary Ghost of Christmas Future, and the even more loud and scary black horses that chase Scrooge's character for about ten minutes. (She actually sat on my lap for that part). The movie was very good, I just figured that a movie geared towards children would be a little more friendly with all the animated imagery.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
I can't believe I stayed for the whole thing!
Way to scary for small children. Not that fun for adults. It was rather dark with the 3D glasses on and by the end I had a headache. While the motion capture was well done, the attempts at trying to frighten the audience seemed inappropriate for a Disney holiday movie. I'm soooo glad I did not take my 5 year-old daughter to see this. My adult wife was very scared watching the movie. Boo on you Disney and Robert Zemekis. Boo on you!
- I rate this title on for age 7 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Best holiday show!
Absolutely LOVED this movie!!! The effects were breath taking! The skin, the faces, and the expressions of the characters were the most human I've ever seen. And you really feel like you're flying over London a few times. I took my 8 and 11 year old boys and they really liked it. I must admit this follows the Dickens story very closely, and the story was never intended to be a children's story. So the ghost of Jacob Marley did make my 8 year old sit a little closer to me, but the rest of the movie was ok for him. And there are comic relief moments like the bobbing around of the ghost of Christmas past. All in all, a great family film with something for everyone (at least over the age of 7).
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Not for little ones - Not a 'feel good' holiday movie
Very, very dark movie - although it has a 'happy' ending, it does not leave you feeling good. My 6 and 8 year-old children were too scared to go to bed 8+ hours later.
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Great Adaptation of the Classic Tale of Ebenezer Scrooge
A Christmas Carol is the feel-good Holiday film of the year. Jim Carrey plays Ebenezer Scrooge like he is really the person. I recommend watching The Polar Express before going to see this film because you have to know Robert Zemickis's amination technique. You would also if you bring little kids they might be frightened by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come(Hint:Grim Reaper type ghost). This film I think is the best adaptation of the story i've watched.
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
A little to scary for my kids... Recommended, but for 10+ crowds
We reluctantly took our 6 and 8 year old to this movie after reading the commonsensemedia.org notes. We openly told the kids we weren't sure about taking them to the movie because it might be too scary for them. Nevertheless, they both wanted to go and said they would be brave. Needless to say, within 15 minutes both kids wanted to leave! With some encouragement, we told them the first ghost was the most frightening and both kids made it through the rest of the movie fine. If I had previewed this movie myself first, I would have opted to not take the kids. My kids do tend to be a little more sheltered than others of the same age with respect to frightening movies and violence, but I would still recommend a 10+ rating for this movie. All of the cast in the movie were great, and overall Zemeckis has made an enjoyable movie, but it isn't the "feel good" family version of Christmas Carol that you may be thinking picturing. By the end of the movie where it does have a positive message and "happy ending" my kids were pretty much still in shock from the rest of the movie to appreciate the message that goes along with this.
- I rate this title on for age 9 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
I thought it was a very good rendition of the book which is a dark story. Not appropriate for younger children, and it is up to parents to discern whether your child (young or old) can stomach the scariness of the movie. There are scenes where things "pop" out and disturbing images of skeletons and ghosts. That being said, it is one of the better messages of treating people with kindness, unselfishness and spreading joy.
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
NOT George C. Scott, but still good.
Now, I have to start this review by saying that I am extremely biased. I have been raised on the version with George C. Scott, so, walking into this movie, I was quite skeptical. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too jim-carrey-a-sized, like many classic stories are when they meet this comedian. Sure, there were a couple parts that were unmistakenly Jim Carrey, but for the most part, he just played his role. The 3D effects were, well, I hate to say it, magical. This was the first movie I had seen in 3D, and I was expecting to just be seeing pink and green through the glasses. At a couple parts you are flying through London, and i felt a little sick! As good of a movie as it is, there are quite a few disturbing parts. The one that scared me the most was when the children, Ignorance and Want, are first shown. They reminded me of the "leftover" humans from Will Smith's "I am Legend". After the camera freezes on them, they proceed to chase around Scrooge, changing ages and at one point, bodies. (Let me rephrase that. They go from being children to adults in Asylums and wearing straightjackets.) Also, when Marley comes back from the dead, it isn't very scary, but when his jaw breaks and, in order to talk, he has to move it with his hand, I had to shiver and look away!! The most ridiculous scene in the movie was when the black hearse was chasing him. This element was not in the original Dickens version, nor the version with George C. Scott, and frankly, I didn't see the point! Scrooge is chased around the streets of London by the terrifying horses from the hearse that is supposedly carrying his dead body. The horses are overly silky and black-skinned, with glowing red eyes. At one point, for some odd reason, Scrooge shrinks enough to fit in a Beer bottle, and his voice turns ridiculously high! Which brings me to my next point. While this film took place in the mid-1800's, when drinking was commonplace, the amount of alcohol in this "family" movie is astonishing! At one point two beggars are seen guzzling from a BARREL of beer, and stumbling about drunkenly. In another scene, there are beer bottles everywhere! The language is kept to a minimum, with only a**, h***, and some common British curses. And finally, to the storyline of this movie. It sticks mostly to Dickens' tale, with a few exceptions. It does become a little Jim-Carrey-a-sized, but then, what can you expect? Jim Carrey is in it! A humorus scene in the beginning was probably the funniest-when Scrooge's nephew Fred comes in. There isn't anything in particular that is funny about this scene, but Colin Firth plays the voice of Fred, and the character in the movie looks identical to Colin in real life! Above all, this is a good movie for families who just want a good Christmas story, but not a family classic or family experience. It is best for about 10+, who have already seen more classic versions, and who can laugh at this remake.
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
Too Horrifying for Kids; Too Horrible for Adults
I am appalled; Jim Carrey, I hope you were tricked into doing this movie. I am an avid fan of Mr. Carrey's work, but this is just disastorous. It's too terrifying for children (I saw kids leave with their parents crying their eyes out) and too unfunny for adults (like myself), and still a bit creepy for some adults. PARENTS: This is incredibly scary for children and even some tweens. Beware. Also, why did they have to show those images? It's not aproppriate in a children's movie or a christmas movie, not to mention a children's CHRISTMAS movie! Well, thanks for reading - Movie Man
- I rate this title on for age 4 and give it
- My highlights are:
Wonderful
Love it? We do have to remember that the age ratings are opinions. We as parents have to decide if the movies are acceptable for our children. We are the only ones that know. Our four year old has seen it and learned a great deal from the movie.
- I rate this title on for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
A children's classic turned into extremely frightening movie
My children and I were looking forward to seeing this film. We love the Scrooge story, but in the first ten minutes my children were SCARED!!! Their eyes were closed a lot of the time, and even I found the images disturbing. This is definitely NOT a PG movie, and I don't know how it was rated as such. The animation is spectacular, but don't take your children unless they are unaffected by loud screaming, faces that turn into skeletons and other frightful images that are enough to give adults nightmares....
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
I liked it but I can't help thinking that other Christmas Carol movies brought out the true spirit of the story better because there was less distraction. Way to scary for the little ones!
- I rate this title on for age 11 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
perfect for older kids 11+
Scrooge's son calls him an ass and when the ghost of christmas yet to come (Which Will scare the crap out of little kids) shows him that he is supposed to die on christmas day he also shows everybody else's reaction and his son is happy that he died so is everybody. It also shows a guys mouth falling off his head
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Wonderful!!
I Loved it! It might be a bit scary to younger kids, but otherwise...wonderful! The animation is very real. But, they weren't entirely true to the story.
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Its Great, but a Little Scary . . .
I did like this movie. The thing is, I was scared. It was almost too suspenseful for me. I think with the ghosts they pushed the "suspense" to the limit. My grandma absolutely loved it, though. According to her, it was a little overly scary, and excpet for a few scenes, it was told word-for-word. Its a little gross in parts, and I think children under 10 who haven't seen movies like this before shouldn't go. They'd be freaked out. Its definetley one I would see again, and despite the scariness, it was better than I expected.
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Not appropriate for kids unaccustomed to gruesome images
WOW!!! Do not take your young kids to see this movie!!! After reading some of these reviews I decided to watch it before my kids did. I loved it and the 3D is the best I have seen in a movie yet, but it is full of images that would have given my kids (5 and 7) nightmares. The movie is very true to the actual Dickens story and in my opion is the best version of it yet. Unfortunately it is made for a more mature audience and is being marketed for kids. If your kids can handle the face melting scene in Raider's of the Lost Arc then they can handle this movie no problem but if they have not been exposed to this kind of imagery then it is probably best to save this for when they are older.
- I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Not appropriate for young kids. -too scary
- I rate this title on for age 12 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
Fantastic for adults; not for small children
We just saw this with a group of third graders from our school because they had a half day off and we thought it would be a fun outing. One parent warned us that it may not be appropriate but we thought, if they've seen "Harry Potter" they could surely handle this. Boy, were we wrong about this being similar to HP! The scary scenes were long and drawn out. It was difficult for the kids (8 and 9 year olds) to comprehend all that was going on. The story line seemed to stay true to the original book in its darkness but there were few light moments to balance it. With Jim Carrey as the lead, I was expecting something more along the lines of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" with Icabod Crane and his hilarious horse running from the headless horseman, but with better animation. The animation was superb, but was it necessary to put so many gruesome images in the film and linger on them so long? As another parent mentioned, the children "ignorance" and "want" were truly frightening. Did we need to see the one good ghost die?? My husband and I both went and we appreciated it, but couldn't enjoy it because we knew our son and his friends weren't enjoying it. My son and his friends said it was the worst movie they'd ever seen and compared which parts they thought were scariest. I don't think the kids were overly scared but there was a lot that was simply over their heads (it was never explained why the coins were on Marley's dead eyes, we don't meet the maid until we see her in Christmas future and she and her husband are talking about having stolen the bed curtains and shirt off of Scrooge while he lay in the coffin, etc.) and I don't know why they didn't include a visit to the Crachets' home. So, proceed with caution. My son hasn't had nightmares yet but younger audiences should definitely not see this.
- I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Avoid this movie. I really think the screenwriters didn't understand the book. For example, the joyful Ghost of Christmas Present is creepy at best, and absolutely horrifying at the end. There is absolutely no counterbalance of happiness with darkness as was intended by Dickens. The movie makers were so in love with their ability to inject slapstick that there are many unnecessary stupid scenes that break the story line and make no sense. Scrooge was never 6 inches tall, and pursued by the horses of the apocalypse. Even my 11 and 13 year old kids couldn't understand why zombies were lurching out at Scrooge as he ran down an alley (I don't know why either). The story is so badly told that children will not understand the redemption at the end. I asked my 3 kids after we left if they would recommend it to their friends and they all said "NO!" I would have given it 1 star, but there was some excellent animation in flyover shots of London. These got a little tedious after the 10th time though.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 86% | of parents say it's too violent |
| 50% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
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